Activities Will Close Roads In Kissimmee And Orlando

Police agencies in Orlando and Kissimmee will be closing streets this week to handle two 15th anniversary events taking place off Walt Disney World property.

Organizers expect about 8,000 people -- news media representatives and guests -- to attend a picnic Thursday at Orlando's Eola Park, which will require the staggered arrivals of 150 buses from 6:30 to 8 p.m at the monument entrance on Eola Drive.

After the Lake Eola celebration, which will include a water-ski show, concert and fireworks, the guests will be asked to join a procession to Church Street Station for a street party until midnight. Police will escort the parade.

The parade will go south on Rosalind Avenue, west on Central Boulevard, south on Magnolia Avenue, west on Pine Street, south on Orange Avenue and west to Church Street. The parade is expected to last 12 minutes.

Orlando police Lt. Jim Weaver, in charge of the traffic operation, said a large part of the park will be closed, but police don't expect the public to be inconvenienced. He said he did not know yet how many officers will be working during the event.

Osceola Avenue between Central and Eola Drive, and Eola Drive between Robinson Street and Central will be closed from 6 to 10:30 p.m. The eastbound lanes of Robinson between Rosalind and Eola will be closed from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. The two westbound lanes will be divided for two-way traffic. Rosalind will be closed between Robinson and Central at 8:15 p.m.

On Saturday, 33 officers from the Osceola County Sheriff's Office, Kissimmee Police Department and Florida Highway Patrol will help handle the 200 buses and 10,000 people expected for the Disney celebrations at Osceola County Stadium from 10 a.m. to 2:15 p.m.

Osceola Boulevard in front of the stadium will be closed, and officers will be stationed around the stadium's perimeter, Osceola sheriff's Capt. Charlie Croft said.

''All the main highways are going to be open,'' he said. ''It should be a very orderly event. I don't see any problems.''

The stadium festivities will feature Southern foods, bass fishing, a rodeo show, water skiing, medieval jousting and exotic wildlife, including an alligator display.